Jeff Hardy Interview with Chad Dukes

The Charismatic Enigma, Jeff Hardy joined Chad Dukes this past week to promote the upcoming TNA Impact Wrestling BaseBrawl event on September 1st at Prince George’s County Stadium, home of the Bowie Baysox.

Always outspoken, Jeff delivers the goods once again. Check out the interview below to hear Jeff talk about giving back to the fans, tag team wrestling, Edge’s retirement, his return after his out of the ring issues, painting his face, and much much more. So listen to the interview and we’ll discuss some of the interesting quotes after the jump.

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After starting out discussing his first love, Baseball, Jeff and Chad discussed Jeff’s past visits to the station and giving back to his fans even during rough patches.

Chad: Is that something you pride yourself on, no matter what’s going on in your life, that you never take the fans for granted?

Jeff: Yeah, it’s important to have good matches and to be popular, and entertaining, but as far as I’m concerned that is the most important thing with my job, is to give back to the people that provide for me. And without the fans I wouldn’t be able to do what I do. And so I always go out of the way to take time. Even last night, after the show I hung out with these guys who were down from New York and talked about old school wrestling like for so long. Just to let them know that I’m normal. Well I’m not normal, I’ll never be normal, but I’m a human with a different job than them and I always give back.

After putting over the mix of talent in TNA, much like our previous interview with AJ Styles, Chad asked jeff his feelings on the current state of tag team wrestling. We all know the current state of tag team wrestling in mainstream American pro-wrestling is shaky. TNA’s tag team division has been lean as of late and WWE is in the midst of trying to reestablish their division. Having a rich history of being tag team wrestler Jeff seems just as stumped as the rest of us as to why tag team wrestling has fallen by the wayside and it doesn’t seem he’s headed back to that style soon.

Chad: Why do you think that the promotion, and the pushing, and the storylines that go a long with tag teams doesn’t seem to be where it was just ten years ago?

Jeff: I wish I knew, I do miss that as well. Coming from our history with the Dudley Boyz, Edge & Christian, that was a time when tag team wrestling went crazy, so cool, and even there was one point in TNA when Beer Money were having this feud with…

Chad: Motor City Machine Guns, Yeah.

Jeff: Oh it was amazing. I don’t know I can’t answer that but I definitely think something is missing there with the tag teams. It could be better. We just gotta figure it out.

Chad: Would you ever consider going back and doing some tag team wrestling?

Jeff: I mean every now and then, but I’m so comfortable and confident in what I’m doing solo, I don’t see myself, yeah maybe a reunion, every now and then or something but as far as I’m concerned for the remainder of my career I’ll be a singles guy.

One thing Jeff Hardy has always been considered is a daredevil but over time the human body can wear out on a professional wrestler. Chad asked Jeff about his high-risk maneuvers and whether he’s had to change what he does inside the ring as he gets older and now has a family to consider.

I’ve simplified, I mean a little bit. The more I think about it, people, I hear it all the time, “You’re so over you don’t need to do all that.” But I don’t know if I would be Jeff Hardy if I didn’t do most of that. So it feels like I always gonna have to do the Whispers in the Wind, and the Swantons, to be, to be me, and I’m comfortable doing that. I mean I have slowed down, I’m nowhere near as nutty as I used to be. As far as when I do have an idea and I think it might be possible, I really think it through now more than ever. Especially with a two-year old daughter at home.

The discussion then turned to the groundbreaking angle when Hardy’s well-publicized personal issues were worked into his return to Impact Wrestling. In a revealing answer, Jeff opened up about how hard the process of incorporating those real life issues into a storyline were, but also how it was important to his recovery.

It was tough man, but it was a real important part of my recovery overall. Especially in my professional life, going back there and just spilling my heart and admitting to hitting rock bottom, and just getting that out. Like I’ve always said, from that point on that was my second chance, the one more shot that I got, that inspired the song Resurrected (Jeff’s current theme music). Oh man, that was the starting point of my new life basically.

Thanks to TNA/Impact Wrestling for booking both AJ Styles and Jeff Hardy to talk with Chad. Be sure to spread the word about the interview and let Jeff Hardy know if you enjoyed it. Jeff and the stars of Impact Wrestling will be at Prince George’s Stadium, home of the Bowie Baysox, for BaseBrawl September 1st. Tickets are on sale HERE.